Exchange of metadata between a live sound mixing console and a digital audio workstation

ABSTRACT

A system for transferring metadata between an audio mixing console and a digital audio workstation connected by an audio link and a computer network. The audio mixing console and the digital audio system implement an Ethernet-based communication protocol for sending messages between them over the network connection, the messages including metadata specifying a plurality of settings on the audio mixing console corresponding to audio information received by the audio mixing console during a live performance. The audio information is sent to the digital audio system over the high bandwidth connection. The high bandwidth connection can also be used to transfer the metadata. The transfer of metadata between the console and the digital audio workstation facilitates new digital audio archiving, virtual live mixing, and virtual soundcheck workflows.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of, under 35 U.S.C.§120, and is a continuing application of pending U.S. application Ser.No.12/877,455, filed Sep. 8, 2010, which is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

During a live sound performance, the audio signals from the performersare sent to a live sound mixing console, where an operator uses theconsole controls to mix the audio signals together to produce the soundheard by the audience. Mixing consoles typically have a large number ofcontrols, including faders for controlling the volume of each audiochannel, equalization controls, as well as controls for various effectsmediated by plug-in software modules. If a live performance is to berecorded, audio streams are passed to a recording device or to a digitalaudio workstation (DAW) for storing on a computer-readable storagedevice. Current techniques for live sound mixing and using a DAW forrecording the show involve sending audio streams, signals for timesynchronization, and transport control (e.g., play, pause, stop) fromthe console to the DAW. After a performance is recorded, the DAW has asession lasting the duration of the performance, often with noindication as to which parts of the recorded session correspond to keypoints in a performance where the mix might change, for example at thestart of a new song. Furthermore, no information as to the routingassignments of the inputs and outputs, or the names of the track sourcesare available at the DAW. In order to create a new session, the DAWoperator needs to assign the mixing console input/output paths to theircorresponding DAW tracks, and manually label all the tracks. Since showsoften have dozens of tracks, sometimes in excess of 100 tracks, thisprocess can be time-consuming and error prone. Furthermore, the work islargely duplicative of the set-up already performed by the mixingconsole operator when setting up the live mix.

In addition to recording a show, another common use of a DAW connectedto a mixing console is to perform a virtual soundcheck, in which arecording of a previous performance is played back through the consolein the new venue. The engineer plays the previously recorded tracks ofeach instrument, and adjusts the mix to sound appropriate in the newvenue. Currently, when playing back a previously recorded concert from aDAW during a soundcheck, it is not possible to synchronize the DAW andthe live sound console to facilitate switching from one sound or pieceto the next.

SUMMARY

In general, the invention features implementing a computer networkprotocol between the mixing console and the DAW for passing metadatabetween the console and the DAW. This enables a tighter integrationbetween the two systems, permitting more efficient and less error proneworkflows for archiving, performing soundchecks, and offline remixing.

In general, in one aspect, a system for processing digital audioincludes an audio mixing console, a digital audio workstation, a highbandwidth connection between the audio mixing console and the digitalaudio workstation for transferring audio information, and a networkconnection between the audio mixing console and the digital audioworkstation. The audio mixing console and the digital audio workstationimplement a communication protocol for sending messages between theaudio mixing console and the digital audio workstation over the networkconnection, the messages including metadata specifying a value for eachof a plurality of settings on the audio mixing console, with each valuedefining a state of the corresponding setting that was used to mix audioinformation received by the audio mixing console during a liveperformance.

Various embodiments include one or more of the following features. Thereceived audio information is sent to the digital audio workstation overthe high bandwidth connection. The metadata is sent from the audiomixing console to the digital audio workstation, and the digital audioworkstation is used to edit the metadata to create edited metadatacorresponding to an offline remix of the audio information. The editedmetadata is transferred to the audio mixing console, and the editedmetadata corresponding to the offline remix is used to set consolesettings for mixing live audio information received by the audio mixingconsole. The audio mixing console enables an operator to capture a setof values for the plurality of settings used to mix received audioinformation corresponding to a selected program element of the liveperformance, and the captured set of values is sent to the digital audioworkstation, which associates the captured set of values with a temporallocation within the audio information. The digital audio workstationenables an operator to select the temporal location within the receivedaudio information, and cause the digital audio workstation to transferthe captured set of values to the audio mixing console, which, inresponse to receiving the captured set of values, adjusts values of theplurality of settings to correspond to the captured set of values. Theaudio mixing console enables the operator to request over the computernetwork the audio information from the digital audio workstationcorresponding to the selected program event, and receive over the highbandwidth connection the audio information corresponding to the selectedprogram event, and the mixing console automatically adjusts the valuesof the plurality of settings to correspond to the captured set ofvalues. The digital audio workstation receives the audio informationover the high bandwidth network and receives the metadata over thenetwork connection, and the digital audio workstation stores themetadata in association with the audio information on a computerreadable storage system connected to the digital audio workstation. Theaudio information represents a temporal sequence of audio samples, andthe metadata specifies a value of each of the plurality of settingscorresponding to each of the audio samples. The plurality of settingsincludes settings of faders on the audio mixing console. The pluralityof settings includes a list of plug-in modules used to process the audioinformation on the audio mixing console. The plurality of settingsincludes settings of one or more of the plug-in modules. Thecommunication protocol is an Ethernet protocol.

In general, under another aspect, a system for processing digital audioincludes an audio mixing console, a digital audio workstation, and ahigh bandwidth connection between the audio mixing console and thedigital audio workstation, and the audio mixing console and the digitalaudio workstation implement a communication protocol for transferringover the high bandwidth connection audio information received by theaudio mixing console during a live performance, and wherein metadataspecifying values of a plurality of settings of the audio mixing consolethat were used to mix the received audio information during a liveperformance is transferred over the high bandwidth network inassociation with the received audio information. In various embodimentsthe high bandwidth connection is at least one of a FireWire connectionand a USB connection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a high level block diagram of a live sound mixing console anda digital audio workstation connected by an audio connection and acomputer network connection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The lack of high level communication between existing audio mixingconsoles and digital audio workstations severely limits the ways inwhich these two units can work together, and results in the cumbersome,duplicative workflows referred to in the background section above. Thesystems and methods described herein address this problem byimplementing a data connection between the console and the workstation.The data connection enables the bidirectional transfer of metadatabetween the console and the workstation, thereby enabling new workflowsand expanded functionality.

Referring to FIG. 1, audio mixing console 102 is connected to digitalaudio workstation 104 by audio connection 106, such as a FireWire®,Multichannel Audio Digital Interface (MADI) or a DigiLink™ connection,which carries the digital audio information between the mixing consoleand the DAW. The audio connections may involve a special purpose audiointerface card, such as for example the HD, FW, and MADI series of cardsavailable from Avid Technology, Inc., of Burlington Mass. Examples ofcommercially available audio mixing consoles feature in the VENUE livesystems; examples of commercially available DAWs include the Pro Tools®system, both available from Avid Technology, Inc.

Network connection 108 is established between the console and the DAW toenable them to communicate with each other. This connection can eitherbe direct or via a larger local area or wide area network. In thedescribed embodiment, the connection is implemented as an Ethernetnetwork. In other embodiments, the connection is a wireless Ethernet,USB connection, or implemented using any available network protocol.

The live audio console and the DAW each include network connectioninterfaces, such as standard Ethernet interface cards, or interfacehardware incorporated within the system motherboard. The console and theDAW may also each include a general purpose computer and software foraudio processing and manipulation, as described below, and may beconnected to audio storage 110 and 112 respectively, and/or to remoteaudio storage (not shown) connected to the console and the DAW via alocal area or wide area network, including network 108. Audio storagemay be implemented as one or more solid state, optical, or disc-basedstorage units. The console is provided with a range of inputs forreceiving audio information from performing instruments (not shown).

The metadata transferred between the mixing console and the DAWrepresents the various configurations and settings of the mixingconsole. Examples of the types of metadata transferred over the networkconnection include: information about an audio file transferred overaudio connection 106, such as the file name, time, date, and location ofthe performance; audio path routing specifying the routing of each ofthe mixing console's inputs to an output and a mixing console channelname or number; channel strip names; stereo channel assignments; consolesnapshot names; console actions such as snapshot store or recall, whichenable the corresponding time locations in the live performance to beindicated in the DAW recording; and console settings such as fader andmute controls, EQ and dynamics settings. In addition, DAW transportcontrols (e.g., stop, play, pause, rewind, fast forward, locate toprevious/next marker, enable record, disable record) may be sent overnetwork connection 108 to control the DAW transport remotely. The mixingconsole may be using one or more software plug-in modules to performvarious functions, such as adding special effects and reducing noise,each of which usually offers the operator a range of controllablesettings and parameters. Information capturing plug-in settings andparameters may also be transferred over computer network 108. In sum,the computer network connection enables the transfer of a completespecification of the operator-facing state of an audio mixing console,including both the physical and software controls.

We now describe three illustrative workflows that are enabled by thelink described above: archiving, virtual live mix, and virtualsoundcheck.

In the archiving workflow, a live performance is recorded using a DAW.Prior to the implementation of computer network link 108, only audioinformation was passed to the DAW over audio link 106. At the end of theperformance, the DAW received an audio file representing the fullduration of the performance, without any indication as to where in theaudio the various songs or pieces start and stop. It was necessary forrecording operators to review the audio, and manually insert markers tomark locations of interest, and enter a name or other descriptor of themarked location.

The addition of network connection 108 permits the audio console totransfer a range of metadata describing the live performance thateffectively sets up a new session at the DAW. The session information,which previously was entered manually, include one or more of thefollowing: routing assignments for all the inputs and outputs to atrack; names of each of the tracks; the names of each song or piece; andthe instruments in the live mix. A process that would require aconsiderable amount of a skilled operator's time is accomplishedautomatically in a few seconds, and with a reduced chance of error.

In the second workflow, the ready transfer of metadata from the consoleto the DAW facilitates virtual live mixing, i.e., the ability to mix thelive performance without using the mixing console or being physicallypresent in a performance venue. An important use of virtual live mixingis to create a remix of the live performance for distribution, e.g., asa CD or download. Since remixes of live performances are intended torecreate the sound and ambience of the live performance, albeit in adifferent environment such as in the home, many of the remix settingsare not expected to depart far from those of the original live mix. Itis therefore a major benefit for the remix engineer to be able to usethe live mix settings as a starting point when creating the remix. Theselive mix settings are received directly via network connection 108, asdescribed above in connection with the archiving workflow.

Another application of virtual live mixing is to adjust the live mix foruse in a subsequent live performance. With the settings of the live mixingested into the DAW, a mixing engineer has a recreation of the livemix on the DAW, and can adjust the mix offline. Console and plug-insettings may be refined without the time restrictions that normallycharacterize an operator's access to the live mixing console in theperformance venue. Once the engineer's adjustments are complete, theadjusted mix settings are sent back to mixing console 102 over networkconnection 108, and are now available for use in the console for asubsequent performance.

In the virtual soundcheck workflow, a recorded live performance sessionon the DAW substitutes for live input from the performers. Whenperforming the virtual soundcheck, the console operator requests aportion of a session of a previous live performance, and receives theaudio over audio connection 106 and the settings over network connection108 from the DAW. The operator then uses the previously recorded livemix settings as the starting point to adjust for any changes required tosuit the characteristics of the new venue. The system further enablesthe operator to jump directly to each temporal location within aperformance that may require its own mix. For example, in a rockconcert, each song may have its own mix settings. When a previous showwas mixed, the console operator captured each song's mix settings bycapturing a snapshot (referred to herein as “snapshot recall”). Thesettings corresponding to the snapshot are transferred to the DAW, whichin turn places a marker in the session identifying the temporal locationin the audio at which the snapshot was captured. The marker may benamed, e.g., with a name of the song. When playing back a recordedsession to perform a virtual soundcheck, the console operator may jumpto each of the markers, setting the console to the correspondingsnapshot recall settings, and sending a command over network connection108 to jump to the marker location corresponding to the snapshot recall,enabling the operator to perform checks for each song without having tosearch through the recorded session.

In addition to passing metadata between the DAW and the console, thenetwork protocol established over network connection 108 also permitsthe communication of transport controls, as described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/082,767, which is incorporated herein byreference. This enables a console operator to control the DAW's paybackfunctions, such as start, stop, and rewind and fast forward.

The metadata may be transferred over network connection 108 inasynchronous or synchronous mode. In asynchronous transfer, the transferof data is initiated either at the console or at the DAW by operatoraction. In one workflow, a bulk transfer of console settings from theconsole to the DAW occurs during a set-up stage when the DAW usercreates a project, often referred to as a session file. This metadataincludes setup information, such as configuration information, tracknames, and routing assignments. Subsequently, during a live performance,additional data sets are pushed from the console to the DAW, for exampleeach time the console operator performs a snapshot recall. Upon receiptof the snapshot recall action, the DAW places a marker in a sessiontimeline, and associates the transferred settings with the audio segmentlying between that marker and a subsequent marker.

During virtual soundcheck the mixing console may pull settings from theDAW, for example pulling in turn the settings corresponding to each ofthe snapshot recalls. Recalling the snapshot may also cause the DAW tojump to the marker in the session timeline corresponding the snapshotrecall, and the operator then starts playing back the audio from thatpoint. Since communication between the console and the DAW isbidirectional, when a DAW operator jumps to a marker position, a messagemay be sent to the console to cause it to recall the correspondingsnapshot settings. The console also pulls settings from the DAW when theoperator wishes to use a virtual remix, for example a remix created inbetween two performances on a tour to adjust sound characteristics of aprevious performance, as described above in connection with the virtualremix workflow.

Synchronous metadata transfer is performed to capture real-time settingson the console. Real-time metadata transfer captures continuous operatoradjustments of console or plug-in settings during a performance. Suchreal-time data is captured in the DAW as an individual track associatedwith each of the sources, i.e., instruments, and may be handled asautomation data in the context of Pro Tools DAW systems. In order forthe DAW to be able to associate metadata transferred over networkconnection 108 with a corresponding temporal location within the audiorecording, the metadata is transferred in synchrony with the audio.Sample-accurate synchrony is not achieved in this manner, but theachievable accuracy is generally adequate to avoid any noticeablesynchronization problems. In other embodiments, a common time referenceis used, such as an external time reference connected to both theconsole and the DAW. Alternatively, a time reference within the consoleis used to time-stamp the metadata, such as with an offset from areference location within the audio data.

There is no effective limit on the length of audio connection 106 andnetwork connection 108. For example, the connections may be hundreds ofmeters, or even several kilometers long when connecting a mixing consolelocated in a main hall of a performance center with a DAW located in abroadcasting facility several floors away in the same building, or in adifferent building.

In the described embodiment, the data sent over network 108 ispacketized using a modified version of the protocol and formatimplemented in Satellite Link, a protocol that is used to connectmultiple digital audio workstations together with each other, andoptionally together with digital video systems in order to synchronizeplayback of the systems, as described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/082,767. Details of an example implementation for a packet formatfor Ethernet-based communication over the network connection 108 willnow be described. In general, both the audio mixing console and the DAWinclude a computer program executing on a computer system within each ofthe console and DAW, the computer systems acting to processes incomingmessages and send out messages that utilize the same packet format.

Network connection 108 is set up within the DAW by a dialog in aperipherals set up pane. The DAW operator optionally provides a name forthe DAW that will identify that system to consoles and other DAWsconnected to the network. Another area in the set-up pane allows theoperator to select whether the DAW is to honor requests to connect froman audio console, and to select which systems to connect to by selectingone of: none; all consoles on a local subnet; all consoles on othersubnets previously connected to; and a console with a specific IPentered by the operator. For each connected console, the pane indicateswhether the connection is inactive or connected. Other pane areas may beincluded to enable the operator to specify parameters associated withmarkers (in the DAW) and snapshot recalls (in the console), and toselect network settings, such as an Ethernet interface used for theprotocol, and the type and port number for the protocol to use.

Command packets sent over the Ethernet-based network begin with aheader, which includes a command ID, length, checksum, destination IPand source IP addresses, error codes, a packet serial number, a replyflag, a protocol version, and a system type specifying the sender's typeof system (e.g., DAW type, console type). The packet payload includesdata for the specified command type. Example byte formatting for such apacket is provided in the following table:

Command ID 4 bytes Data Length 2 bytes Checksum 2 bytes Destination IPAddress 4 bytes Source IP Address 4 bytes Error Code 4 bytes PacketSerial Number 4 bytes Reply Flag 1 byte Major Protocol Version 1 byteMinor Protocol Version 1 byte Command Version 1 byte System Type 1 bytesPayload n bytes

Several commands may be used in this protocol. An example list ofcommands and their functions are the following. Each command has aunique value that is used to set the command field type in the packetheader. Actual values used to designate each command are up to theimplementation.

DiscoveryRequest. This message may be broadcast or directed to aspecific address to discover connected systems.

Connect. This message is sent to establish a connection. It is only sentin one direction, and may be initiated from either end.

Disconnect. This message is sent to terminate a connection.

SetPrefs. This message is sent when a connection goes online, and may besent either by the console or the DAW when preferences are setexplicitly.

SnapshotRecalled. This message is sent by a console whenever a snapshotis recalled and includes the snapshot ID and name.

MarkerRecalled. This message is sent by a DAW whenever a marker with anassociated snapshot is recalled and includes the snapshot ID.

SnapshotRenamed. This message is sent by the console when a snapshot isrenamed and includes the new name.

MarkerRenamed. This message is sent by the DAW when a marker with anassociated snapshot is renamed and includes the snapshot ID and newmarker name.

GetNumberofSnapshots. This message is sent by the DAW when building amenu of console snapshots in an edit marker dialog area to enable a userto choose a snapshot to associate with an existing marker.

GetSnapshotName. This message is also sent by the DAW when building amenu of console snapshots in an edit marker dialog area to get the nameassociated with a specific snapshot.

GetNumberofConnections. This message is sent by the DAW when importingtrack names, or creating a session from the console to obtain the numberof channels and assignable outputs in use by the current console showfile.

GetConnectionInfo. This message is sent by the DAW when importing tracknames or creating a session to obtain input and output connectionrouting.

TransportCommand. This message is sent by the console when an event istriggered which corresponds to a DAW transport command, and includes theID of the transport command.

GetTransportState. This message is sent by the console to query the DAWtransport state.

TransportStateChanged. This message is sent by the DAW whenever itstransport state changes and includes the new transport state.

Multiple DAWs may be connected to a single console for redundantrecording. In this situation, multiple instances of the describedprotocol run simultaneously, each one directed to systems on differentIP addresses. In some embodiments, the two DAWs are connected using theSatellite Link communication protocol described in U.S. patent Ser. No.12/082,767.

In another workflow, network connection 108 is used to perform a bulktransfer or a synchronization of preset libraries between the consoleand the DAW. Such presets are accumulated by an operator for varioussituations, and include settings of the various console parametersdescribed above, such as EQ or plug-in settings. These preset files canbe applied when creating a new session on the DAW, or to acceleratesoundchecks.

In other embodiments, metadata is transferred between an audio mixingconsole and a DAW without using a separate computer network connection,but rather via audio connection 106. In some audio transfer protocols,bandwidth may be reserved for transferring control data, such ashandshaking signals between a DAW and a peripheral. This bandwidth maybe used to transfer the metadata specifying a state of an audio mixingconsole. In some embodiments that implement FireWire and/or USBinterfaces, the metadata is transferred using TCP-IP. The operatingsystems running on the computers within the audio mixing console and theDAW are configured to support this protocol by treating their FireWireand/or USB ports as network connections, and by installing theappropriate drivers. The software running on the DAW and the audioconsole are adapted to make these ports available as options in theirrespective peripherals dialogs.

The various software components of the audio mixing console and DAWsystems described herein may be implemented as a computer program usinga general-purpose computer system. Such a computer system typicallyincludes a main unit connected to both an output device that displaysinformation to a user and an input device that receives input from auser. The main unit generally includes a processor connected to a memorysystem via an interconnection mechanism. The input device and outputdevice also are connected to the processor and memory system via theinterconnection mechanism.

One or more output devices may be connected to the computer system.Example output devices include, but are not limited to, liquid crystaldisplays (LCD), plasma displays, cathode ray tubes, video projectionsystems and other video output devices, printers, devices forcommunicating over a low or high bandwidth network, including networkinterface devices, cable modems, and storage devices such as disk ortape. One or more input devices may be connected to the computer system.Example input devices include, but are not limited to, a keyboard,keypad, track ball, mouse, pen and tablet, communication device, anddata input devices. The invention is not limited to the particular inputor output devices used in combination with the computer system or tothose described herein.

The computer system may be a general purpose computer system which isprogrammable using a computer programming language, a scripting languageor even assembly language. The computer system may also be speciallyprogrammed, special purpose hardware. In a general-purpose computersystem, the processor is typically a commercially available processor.The general-purpose computer also typically has an operating system,which controls the execution of other computer programs and providesscheduling, debugging, input/output control, accounting, compilation,storage assignment, data management and memory management, andcommunication control and related services. The computer system may beconnected to a local network and/or to a wide area network, such as theInternet. The connected network may transfer to and from the computersystem program instructions for execution on the computer, media data,metadata, review and approval information for a media composition, mediaannotations, and other data.

A memory system typically includes a computer readable medium. Themedium may be volatile or nonvolatile, writeable or nonwriteable, and/orrewriteable or not rewriteable. A memory system typically stores data inbinary form. Such data may define an application program to be executedby the microprocessor, or information stored on the disk to be processedby the application program. The invention is not limited to a particularmemory system. Time-based media may be stored on and input from magneticor optical discs, which may include an array of local or networkattached discs.

The various computer-executable programs described herein may beimplemented in software or hardware or firmware, or a combination of thethree. The various elements of the system, either individually or incombination may be implemented as one or more computer program productsin which computer program instructions are stored on a computer readablemedium for execution by a computer, or transferred to a computer systemvia a connected local area or wide are network. Various steps of aprocess may be performed by a computer executing such computer programinstructions. The computer system may be a multiprocessor computersystem or may include multiple computers connected over a computernetwork. The components described herein may be separate modules of acomputer program, or may be separate computer programs, which may beoperable on separate computers. The data produced by these componentsmay be stored in a memory system or transmitted between computersystems.

Having now described an example embodiment, it should be apparent tothose skilled in the art that the foregoing is merely illustrative andnot limiting, having been presented by way of example only. Numerousmodifications and other embodiments are within the scope of one ofordinary skill in the art and are contemplated as falling within thescope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for processing digital audio, the systemcomprising: an audio mixing console; a digital audio workstation; a highbandwidth connection between the audio mixing console and the digitalaudio workstation for transferring audio information; and a networkconnection between the audio mixing console and the digital audioworkstation; wherein the audio mixing console and the digital audioworkstation implement a communication protocol for sending messagesbetween the audio mixing console and the digital audio workstation overthe network connection, the messages including metadata specifying avalue for each of a plurality of settings on the audio mixing console,wherein each value defines a state of the corresponding setting that wasused to mix audio information received by the audio mixing consoleduring a live performance; wherein the received audio information issent to the digital audio workstation over the high bandwidth connectionand the received metadata is sent to the digital audio workstation overthe network connection, and the audio information and metadata arestored by the digital audio workstation; wherein the received audioinformation and the metadata is retrieved from the digital audioworkstation storage and sent to the audio mixing console; and whereinthe audio mixing console is used to edit the metadata such that anedited value of at least one of the settings differs from acorresponding value of the setting that was used to mix audioinformation received by the audio mixing console during a liveperformance.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio mixing consoleis used to edit the metadata in a venue that is different from a venuein which the live performance took place.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the audio mixing console enables an operator to capture a set ofvalues for the plurality of settings used to mix received audioinformation corresponding to a selected program element of the liveperformance, and wherein the captured set of values is sent to thedigital audio workstation, the digital audio workstation associating thecaptured set of values with a temporal location within the audioinformation.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the digital audioworkstation enables an operator to select the temporal location withinthe received audio information, and cause the digital audio workstationto transfer the captured set of values to the audio mixing console, andwherein, in response to receiving the captured set of values, the audiomixing console adjusts values of the plurality of settings to correspondto the captured set of values.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein theaudio mixing console enables the operator to request over the computernetwork the audio information from the digital audio workstationcorresponding to the selected program event, and receive over the highbandwidth connection the audio information corresponding to the selectedprogram event, and wherein the mixing console automatically adjusts thevalues of the plurality of settings to correspond to the captured set ofvalues.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio informationrepresents a temporal sequence of audio samples, and wherein themetadata specifies a value of each of the plurality of settingscorresponding to each of the audio samples.
 7. The system of claim 1,wherein the plurality of settings includes settings of faders on theaudio mixing console.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality ofsettings includes a list of plug-in modules used to process the audioinformation on the audio mixing console.
 9. The system of claim 8,wherein the plurality of settings includes settings of one or more ofthe plug-in modules.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein thecommunication protocol is an Ethernet protocol.
 11. A system forprocessing digital audio, the system comprising: an audio mixingconsole; a digital audio workstation; and a high bandwidth connectionbetween the audio mixing console and the digital audio workstation,wherein the audio mixing console and the digital audio workstationimplement a communication protocol for transferring over the highbandwidth connection audio information received by the audio mixingconsole during a live performance, and wherein metadata specifyingvalues of a plurality of settings of the audio mixing console that wereused to mix the received audio information is transferred over the highbandwidth connection in association with the received audio information;wherein the received audio information and metadata is sent to thedigital audio workstation and is stored by the digital audioworkstation; wherein the received audio information and the metadata isretrieved from the digital audio workstation storage and sent to theaudio mixing console; and wherein the audio mixing console is used toedit the metadata such that an edited value of at least one of thesettings differs from a corresponding value of the setting that was usedto mix audio information received by the audio mixing console during alive performance.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the high bandwidthconnection is at least one of a FireWire connection and a USBconnection.
 13. A system for processing digital audio, the systemcomprising: an audio mixing console; a digital audio workstation; a highbandwidth connection between the audio mixing console and the digitalaudio workstation for transferring audio information; and a networkconnection between the audio mixing console and the digital audioworkstation; wherein the audio mixing console and the digital audioworkstation implement a communication protocol for sending messagesbetween the audio mixing console and the digital audio workstation overthe network connection, the messages including metadata specifying avalue for each of a plurality of settings on the audio mixing console,wherein each value defines a state of the corresponding setting that wasused to mix audio information received by the audio mixing consoleduring a live performance; wherein the audio mixing console enables anoperator to capture a set of values for the plurality of settings usedto mix audio information corresponding to a selected program element ofthe live performance, and wherein the captured set of values is sent tothe digital audio workstation, the digital audio workstation associatingthe captured set of values with a temporal location within the audioinformation and storing the audio information and the captured set ofvalues; and wherein the audio mixing console enables the operator torequest and receive the audio information from the digital audioworkstation corresponding to the selected program event to cause themixing console to automatically adjust the values of the plurality ofsettings to correspond to the captured set of values; and wherein anoperator of the audio mixing console is able use the audio mixingconsole to override the automatically adjusted values of the pluralityof settings to alter a value of at least one of the settings that wasused to mix audio information received by the audio mixing consoleduring the live performance.